'RuPaul’s Drag Race' Star Shangela Accused of Sexual Assault by Five Alleged Victims in Bombshell Exposé
RuPaul's Drag Race star Shangela is facing more sexual assault allegations.
March 18 2024, Published 7:30 p.m. ET
RuPaul's Drag Race star Shangela is facing more sexual assault allegations. Five accusers have come forward to claim the infamous drag queen — whose real name is Darius Pierce — allegedly committed sexual crimes against them, RadarOnline.com has learned.
This comes just one month after our exclusive report that another alleged victim, Daniel McGarrigle, agreed to dismiss the lawsuit he brought against the superstar.
A jaw-dropping exposé was published on Monday, detailing the disturbing new accusations against Shangela, in which several people claim they were too intoxicated to consent to sexual relations with the mega persona. A fifth person claimed the television personality, 45, tried to penetrate them in a bathroom closet anally.
Five accusers have stepped forward with bombshell accusations against the superstar.
Rolling Stone spoke to the new accusers after uncovering a shocking police complaint that had previously gone undetected. Five individuals recalled their time with Shangela, claiming the alleged assaults happened when they were between the ages of 18 and 23 and spanned from Louisiana, Texas, California, and the United Kingdom from 2012 to 2018.
Shangela admitted to meeting four of the five accusers but maintained his innocence against the crimes. He said he did not remember the fifth alleged victim.
Rolling Stone published the accusations from Shangela's five accusers after a 16-month investigation. The Drag Race star denied the allegations in a letter issued by his lawyer, Andrew Brettler, who called the claims “false and unsupported by any evidence or reliable witness testimony,” adding that there were “significant problems with purported accusers’ accounts.”
Shangela's attorney also stated that his client “adamantly denies ever engaging in nonconsensual sex.”
Shangela admitted to meeting four of the alleged victims — but could not recall the fifth.
RadarOnline.com told you first — McGarrigle agreed to dismiss his lawsuit last month after claiming Shangela raped him in a hotel room after a wrap party for HBO's We're Here in 2020. The accuser served as a production assistant on the show.
"[McGarrigle] was disoriented from the high he was experiencing from the poppers and the fear that overcame him during the sexual assault,” the lawsuit read. “[Shangela] overpowered McGarrigle and was able to hold him down.”
Shangela fiercely denied the accusations, calling the lawsuit “meritless” while claiming it promoted “damaging stereotypes" that were harmful to the LGBTQ+ community.
“I can’t begin to explain how hurt and disgusted I am by these totally untrue allegations,” the drag queen said.
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Shangela was previously sued by another accusers, who has since dismissed the lawsuit.
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HBO investigated McGarrigle's accusations but could not corroborate the claims.
“Buckingham and HBO take the safety and well-being of personnel on our shows very seriously, and Buckingham immediately launched an investigation when the incident was reported to them in July 2021," an HBO spokesperson said. “The investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support these allegations.”
Shangela was eliminated early from Drag Race during Season 2 before returning to other franchise installments. The over-the-top personality also appeared alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born and Dancing With the Stars.
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